U.S. Investigated Bitcoin Miner Manufacturer Bitmain as National Security Risk: Report
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating Chinese Bitcoin mining equipment maker Bitmain as a possible national security risk. Led by DHS under “Operation Red Sunset,” the probe centers on whether Bitmain’s devices could be remotely accessed for espionage or to disrupt the U.S. power grid. A Senate Intelligence Committee report claims Bitmain’s hardware could be remotely controlled by Chinese personnel and might hand over data to the Chinese government, referencing past reports of backdoors in Bitmain products. These concerns prompted restrictions on mining operations using foreign equipment near sensitive locations like Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. The investigation began under the Biden administration and continued into the start of the Trump administration. Customs authorities have also detained Bitmain shipments to check for tariff violations. Bitmain denies any wrongdoing or remote-control capabilities. Some mining experts argue that mining machines’ limited functions and minimal interfaces would make undetected remote control difficult, as data centers closely monitor their operations.
